Upright automatic player-piano.



L. W. SOUTHGATE.

UPRIGHT AUTOMATIG PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1912. RENEWED JUNE 1, 1914.

1, 1 1 8,962, Patented Dec. 1-, 1914.

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1H5 NORRIS PETERS 1:0 F'Hom LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D c

Application filed February 19, 1912, Serial No. 678,656.

and useful width automatic UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO VERONICA M. KOHLER, WILLIAM B. ELLISON, AND RICHARD W. Lj-JVRENGE, 0F NET/V YORK,

N. Y., EXEGUTORS OF CHARLES KDHLER, DECEASED.

UPRIGHT AUTOMATIC PLAYER-PIANO.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new Upright Automatic Player- Piano, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a detailed or modified arrangement of parts of the halfplayer piano described and claimed in an application for patent filed by me October 9, 1911, Serial No. 653,560 and specifically shown in Figures 5 and 5 thereof. In such application is shown and described what I believe to be the first halfwidth automatic player piano. This instrument comprises a set of strings divided into two sections arranged in different planes, a piano action arranged in sections out of line with each other but substantially within the same width, and suitable operating devices therefor. In said modification the two sections of the strings are arranged adjacent to each other and facing to the front and the two sections of the piano action are arranged one over the other and a pneumatic operating mechanism divided into two sections is arranged to operate said two sections of the piano action. As illus trated in said prior application for patent either a single sounding board or a double sounding board may be used in said arrangement. This modification is illustrated in the application for patent in which,

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional elevation of a piano player constructed to embody my invention, and Fig. 2 is a partial sectional elevation illustrating a modification employing two sounding boards.

Referring to the drawing and in detail, A designates a piano casing made substantially half the width of the casing of an ordinary piano.

designates the main or long string frame which in the construction under consideration is made to carry substantially half of the strings and preferably the longer or bass section E of the strings which can be arranged vertically or inclined and overstrung. This string frame is arranged on beams C.

D designates a sounding board which is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914. Renewed June 1, 1914. Serial No. 842,261.

carried by said beams and with which the section E of the strings cooperates by means of the usual bridge or bridges'F.

B designates a supplemental string frame which preferably is arranged to carry the shorter or treble section E of the strings, and which cooperates with the sounding board D by a bridge or bridges F which are cut away so that the bass section E of the strings can pass through the same.

The main string frame B and the supplemental string frame B face toward the front.

A piano action is arranged to cooperate with the set of strings. This piano action, as shown, is divided into two sections arranged one over the other and so that there is one section of the action for each section of the strings.

HH designate a set of operating pneumatics for the piano actions, which set is arranged in two sections, each section being arranged intwo rows, the upper section H being arranged to operate the upper section G of the piano action, and the lower section H being arranged to operate the wippens of the lower section G of the piano action. The pneumatics are arranged on arms extending out from two valve boxes II secured to which are primary valve boxes II.

J designates the spool box which contains the tracker L over which the note-sheet is designate the operating treadlesway when the instrument is not to be used,

as indicated in dotted lines.

A door S is arranged to slide in the front of the casing to cover or uncover the opening through which the pedals are swung out from and into the piano casing. Each pedal connects by a link 14 to a long arm 15 supported by a crank-arm 16 pivoted in brackets 17. The arms 15 and 16 are secured to operate one of a pair of feeders or bellows T -T. The feeders are arranged on a suitable Wind-trunk U connected to which is a storer V. The Wind-trunk U connects by any of the usual regulators by means of suitable connections, regulator and valve box to the motor Q.

A support or ledge Y is arranged at the front of the instrument to carry the operating buttons and levers coeperating with which is a fall board Z.

The tubes coming from the perforations in the tracker L are divided into two sections 18 and 19, the section 18 being connected to operatethe primary valves which control the operation of the lower section H of the pneumatics, and the section 19 being connected to operate the primary valves which control the operation vof the upper section H of the pneumatics. these arrangements-a piano player of substantially half-width relatively to the set of strings is provided which has the advantages set forth more atlength in my original. application for patent previously referred to.

In Fig. 2 an arrangement of string frames is shown by whleh both a main sounding board D and a supplemental sounding board D can be employed.

-The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what'I desire to secure by Letters-Patei1t:is:

1. An upright player piano having a set of strings, divided into two sections facing in the-same direction, a piano action divided into two sections arranged one over the other so that there is one section of the action for each section of the strings, and operating devices therefor.

2. An uprightautomatic player piano having a set of strings arranged in two sections facing tothe front, a piano action therefor divided into two sections arranged one over the other so that there is one seey-tion of the action for each section of the strings, and a set "of operating pneumatics therefor.-

3. An upright automatic player piano having a set of strings divided into two sections facing to the front of the piano, a piano action therefor-divided into two sections arranged over each other so that there is one section of the action for each section of the strings, and set of operating pneumatics therefor divided into two sections arranged one over the other.

4:. An upright automatic player piano h-avinga set of strings divided into two sec- :tions facing toward the front, a piano.action'therefor divided into two sections arranged one over the other so that there is gone section of the a-c tion 'for each section ,of

the strings, a set of operating pneumatics therefor divided into two sections arranged one over the other, a pair 'of feedersarranged at the rear of the set of strings, and a pair of operating pedals arranged at the front of the set of strings.

5. An upright automatic player piano having a set of strings divided into two sections facing toward the front, a piano action therefor divided into two. sections arranged one Over the other so that there is one section of the action for each section of the strings, a set of operating neumatics divided into two sections arranged one over the other, a tracker and a note sheet manipulating mechanism arranged at the front of the instrument, and pedals arranged at the front ofthe instrument.

6. An upright automatic player piano having a set of strings divided into two sections facing toward the front, a piano action therefor divided into two sectlons arranged one over the other so that there is one section of the action for each section of the strings, a set of operating pneumatics therefor divided into two sections arranged over the other so that thereis one section of a the action for each section of the strings, a .set of operatlng pneumatics therefor divlded into two sections arranged one over the other, a tracker and notesheet manipulating mechanism arranged at the front of the.

instrument, and an operating motor therefor arranged above the tracker.

8. An upright automatic player piano having a set of strings divided into two sections facing toward the front, a piano ac tion divided into two sections arranged one over the other so that there is one section of the action for each section of the strings, a setof operating pneumatics therefor divided into two sections arranged one over the other, a tracker and note sheet manipulating mechanism arranged at the front of the instrument, and a pair of feeders and a storer arranged at the rear of the instrument behind the strings. i

9. An automatic player piano having a set of strings divided into two sections facing toward the front, a piano action therefor divided into two sections arranged one over the other so that there isone section of the action for each section of the strings, operating devices therefor, a sounding board, and bridges from the strings to the sounding board, the bridge for front Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the the sounding board, the bridge for the treble section of the strings being cut away to allow the bass section of the strings to pass 15 therethrough.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE.

lVitnesses:

C. FoRREsT WESSON, E. M. ALLEN.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

